This is a video from the University of Washington documenting a successful human-to-human mind control experiment. It went like this: Rajesh Rao sat in one lab playing a mind-controlled video game using a special headset. Meanwhile, in another lab, Andrea Stocco was wearing a 'transcranial magnetic stimulation coil' (yes, seriously) that could send the same messages Rao's headset picked up to Stocco's brain. This is all going to end very badly.

As Rao began playing his video game, periodically the need to fire a cannon would arise. To fire this canon, Rao would need to use his right hand to press the spacebar on his keyboard. Instead of doing so, Rao simply thought about moving his right hand. This sent a clear mental signal across campus to Stocco who, as if being controlled by strings, dutifully moved his finger to the spacebar and pressed down.

Well, there you have it -- if the government can get us all outfitted with cranial magnetic stimulation coils this game is OVER. Or have they already? Jesus -- how do I even know I'm the one typing this right now? "Because you still have one hand on your penis?" TRUE. That does seem like a very me thing to do.

Hit the jump for a video of the experiment, but you might want to make a tinfoil helmet first.

Thanks to Unfairchild, JO, alex and Dowdy, who agree ultimate power comes not from mind control, but soul control. Haha, too bad I don't have one.

Finally! I hated thinking my own thoughts. So exhausting. I'm gonna get my brain outsourced to India for pennies on the dollar.

whacko

This video doesn't really.. prove anything.

While I am not saying that this is fake, it is entirely possible that someone in the room who can see the monitor is just waving at the guy who needs to press spacebar.

Alternatively if there is no outside influence, the devices they are connected to could be giving some non-brain focused hint that the simple pre-staged action needs to be completed.

For instance, the guy pressing the space bar gets a small electric shock. Since he is only told that one action is required he does that action.

Post_Nazi

Right. And that's sort of the point. They were able to pick up the electric signals from the first guys brain, specifically the signal that said he wanted to press the spacebar to fire at the missiles. That signal went to the recipient, causing him to press down the spacebar instead.

What did you not really get?

matgeek

I guess I just have to say... Duh?

This is one of the first experiments of it's kind -- Of course it's going to be extremely limited in it's capacity and functionality.

What this "proves" is that humans can 'communicate' via mental stimulation with the assistance of electronics (regardless of the mechanism delivering the message).

It's a rough first step - but a first step, none-the-less. I imagine they will have a much more impressive setup in their next iteration.

Jeremy Tilton

Yeah, I believe the setup is as they describe it, but I can't imagine it is any more than some kind of mild shock that makes his hand tense up in a way that is as if he pressed the space bar.